Apr 2, 2011

#BDS: Students at Carleton University call on the university to divest pension funds from companies doing business with Israel

"Carleton University administrators were forced Tuesday to abandon a meeting of the board of governors when approximately 200 students, yelling, chanting and shouting slogans about democracy, blocked access to the meeting room.The students effectively occupied the atrium of Robertston Hall, preventing several board members from attending a meeting that included, among other agenda items, consideration of the university's operating budget. While campus safety staff were much in evidence, they were unable to ensure access to the meeting for arriving board members."Unfortunately, the student demonstrators would not allow a number of the board members to get through (the crowd) to attend the meeting," university spokesman Jason MacDonald said. That, he said, forced the administration to cancel.The students claimed to be protesting the administration's decision to prevent them from attending the board meeting and to debate a motion calling on the university to divest pension funds from companies doing business with Israel.Read more